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Government spokesman Ken Lipenga said on Sunday there are some people within the top ranks who have the potential of harming relationships within government and the state’s relationship with the ruling UDF party.
Lipenga was speaking in agreement with Vice President Cassim Chilumpha who on Sunday, during Eid prayers in Mulanje said the conduct by some top government officials would eventually create confusion in the country.
The government spokesman said Chilumpha has a point in criticising “some individuals in government” whose actions are questionable.
“I have said before that there are some people with different agendas from government and I, therefore, agree with the Vice President on what he said,” said Lipenga.
He also agreed with Chilumpha on his annoyance against government officials who, last Thursday, barred UDF women from entering the Great Hall in Zomba when President Bingu wa Mutharika addressed the University community.
“I wouldn’t have allowed whoever ordered the barring of women from going ahead if I knew what was going on in Zomba,” said Lipenga.
He said what the officials did in barring the women was against the interest of government.
Lipenga, however, refused to disclose who these top government officials are but reliable sources said yesterday the people that Chilumpha is against are “very, very, close to the President”.
Commenting on the matter, political scientist Boniface Dulani said it is now clear as to “who is aligning with who” in the divisions that are dogging UDF.
“Here, we see the Vice President aligning himself with the party chairman [Bakili Muluzi] and unless the President and the party chair get all their people together, the divisions might be too difficult to solve,” said Dulani.
He said the situation is getting worse because “the people are just too eager to tear each other up”.
Last week, UDF Secretary General Kennedy Makwangwala and national executive member Dumbo Lemani said the party is divided between those that are working in government and the gurus leading the party and that the two sides might not be able to work together again.
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